Home Game Bubble Hand w/AA
 

Don't worry - this isn't a "Should I Fold AA preflop" question.

It's more of a how to play AA here thread.

This was a 10 person home game, we only pay out 2 places 70% to first, 30% to second.

Blinds are 150/300.

We are 3 handed, approx chip stacks (before posting) are

Button - 1000
Hero(SB) - 4500
BB (Villian) - 4500

Button Folds, I look down at A [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] A [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] and just call. BB raises to 800.

What's my best move here?

Notes to use: This is a home game group that gets about 8-15 players a week, there are about 20 people in the group thta shows up. Out of the 20, I would list both me and the BB as 2 of the top 3-4 players, meaning we both know about the bubble, 2nd and 3rd level thinking, etc.

The BB got an early chip lead, and has been playing the bully most of the night. I was down to the felt with 6 left, but have recently been running hot and built myself back up to a virtual tie. I knew there was a greater than 50% chance that if I just limped he would either raise pre-flop or bet out the flop to matter what hits.

So
1. Was my pre-flop limp okay given my read?
2. Now that I have been raised, whats my best action?

Re: Home Game Bubble Hand w/AA
 

I just call here. I'm sure that most people say push, but if the guy is as good of a player as you say he is, he will fold to your all-in reraise. He could never put you on aces if you just called and then just called his raise. Then, no matter what the flop is, go all-in. I think this play would just confuse the [censored] out of him. If you don't like that play, check the flop then push. Just my 2 cents...

Re: Home Game Bubble Hand w/AA
 

Well, let me ask you a question...if the flop comes J high and he happens to have hit his J (or whatever random card it is he has), is he calling your all-in on the flop? My inclination is that you do not want to push the flop unless you are pretty sure he suspects you would do it on a bluff and you think he is willing to bust on the bubble with that belief. It seems to me that the only way you're going to get a significant amount of chips from this hand is if he is the one to put them in first. So, the options seem to be check and let him fire at the pot or make a small bet in the hope that he will come over the top. I would guess that if he is to hold to his aggressive image, he is going to bet the flop when you check, at which point you probably have to push because that's the only reasonable thing you would do on a bluff...thus it seems you have to do it with a hand as well. But the decision of whether to bet or check the flop really depends on his likely action, which you certainly know more about than I.

Re: Home Game Bubble Hand w/AA
 

I think you look him in the eye and say

"you don't have the balls to play your crap. I'm sure you've got crap under there, and you think I'm worried about Mr shorty. I raise to 1200."

Resutls
 

I was hoping for a bit more discussion, but this seems to have fallen down I'll post my results. and thoughts.

I went for a less than all in re-raise here. I upped to to 1500. BB Folded

This was my thinking in making my play

Option 1 - Call. I now have no idea what he has. Does he have a PP that gave him a set? Does he have 2 random cards he was stealing with that now give him 2 pair? Calling to me would put the brakes on him as I now have said I have hand, but still have no idea what he has.

Option 2 - PUSH. Since we are both big stacks, there are very, very few hands he is calling with here. AA (very unlikely), KK, and MAYBE, MAYBE AK and QQ. to big a chance that he folds and I get no more chance.

Option 3 - Re-raise. This still leaves him room to call me, but lets me know he now has a premium hand as he is willing to go to war with it, but I know I am still ahead. If this was a bluff to buy mu blind, I took his bluff with no risk of him hitting a raggy flop. If he thinks I'm bluffing cause he knows I know the situation and that he will have to lay down a lot - he can move all in on me here and I have an easy call.

I felt Option 3 was my best chance to get more chips into the middle.

But, he smelled something funny, thought for a bit, said he was at best a coinflip and folded his AJs Face up.

Re: Home Game Bubble Hand w/AA
 

Because he's a good player, I think you'll be able to extract the most chips by calling his raise preflop and check raising the flop all in to allow him to bluff some more off to you.

And if he's really aggressive and tricky, I like calling the preflop bet and betting any flop (assuming he has the ability to realize you could make a probing bet with nothing here), hoping that he'll raise me so I can put the rest of my chips in.